Forecasters see cool January coming for South Florida

The two-week forecast, issued Sunday, shows above average temperatures through most of the country except for the Florida peninsula, where much below normal temperatures are are predicted. (Credit: NWS/ CPC)

Flying back to South Florida from Baltimore over the Christmas weekend, I heard many passengers marvel at the Florida weather information provided by the pilot. It’s not that temperatures in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast have been cold.

The thermometer hit 48 degrees on Christmas Day in Baltimore, Washington and Philadelphia. And it was in the 60s late last week, with sunshine.

Even farther to the north, it was 46 degrees on Christmas Day in Central Park; 47 in Bridgeport, Conn.

But the weather in Palm Beach has been positively tropical. Temperatures were in the 80s for four days straight, from Thursday through Sunday, and that run may be extended through Tuesday.

There are signs that this balmy business is about to end, however.

The National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center is warning that the Florida peninsula will be in for a cool first part of January. Average high temperatures are about 75 with lows of 57 degrees, so anything below that will feel quite chilly after a Caribbean-type December.

By Tuesday night and Wednesday, a significant cold front — but not an Arctic blast — sweeps all the way through South Florida and into the Florida Straits.

AccuWeather is predicting a low of 53 degrees in Palm Beach on Wednesday morning and the high may only reach 73. The National Weather Service in Miami is going with mid-50s for lows in Palm Beach.

Away from the coast there will be some exceptionally chilly weather by mid-week, with a forecast low in Okeechobee of 42 degrees by Thursday morning. Highs in Palm Beach though, return to the upper 70s on New Year’s Eve with lows in the lower 60s.

But much below normal temperatures will take hold over the Florida peninsula through Jan. 8, the CPC predicts in a forecast issued Sunday. This occurs while the rest of the nation basks in much above average temperatures, thanks at least in part to continuing La Nina conditions in the Pacific.

AccuWeather is also forecasting a cool first week of the month in Palm Beach, with lows dipping into the mid-40s on Monday and Tuesday and highs only in the 60s through most of next week.

Temperatures may recover to more normal levels for the first full weekend of 2012, but it looks like we may be saying goodbye to the 80s for at least the next couple of weeks.

About the Author

John Nelander is a freelance writer, book editor and publisher in West Palm Beach. Weather Matters features news and observations about the weather with a focus on what's happening in South Florida. The blog also looks at the latest studies on climate change as well as what's happening in the weather forecasting biz. His website is www.pbeditorialservices.com.